Circuit maker and breaker



Jan. 2, 1934. M. SOLLAR CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER Filed July 23, 1932 INVENTOR Max Sallar Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER Max Sollar, Brooklyn, N. vY assignor to Bertha Jacobs, Brooklyn, N. Y;

Application July 23, 1932. I Serial No. 624,259 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-64) My invention relates to devices for making and breaking electrical circuits, such as those adapted for use in elevated electric light fixtures, and actuated by a chain or similar means, and the same has for its object to provide a simple, compact and reliable device which is produced at low cost.

It is desirable that a device of the character described be as small and as compact as possi- 0 ble, consistent with eflicient operation thereof, so that it may be used in connection with small electrical fixtures, and preferably in a concealed position. compactness, and corresponding absence of bulk, is secured in my improved device by the novel construction of the body portion, which is provided with a chamber or recess so arranged as to allow the different electrical and mechanical elements to be disposed therein to the best advantage with respect to the space available, by the unitary, one-piece character of the cover for the working parts of the device, and further, by the novel arrangement of parts. The simplicity of the construction, and the small number of parts necessary for insuring operation,

are also conducive to compactness, while giving reliable operation. L

Short circuiting is avoided in my device by the use of a body portion of insulating material, shielding all exposed parts.

The individual elements making up my device are simple in construction and of well known materials, and are capable of being readily assembled, so that the cost of production is comparatively low.

In my devce, I employ a rotatable member of insulating material which is in the form of a ratchet wheel. A conducting member is attached to said rotatable member having a portion in constant contact with one end of an electrical circuit. Contact portions are provided on the conducting member extending over and covering alternate teeth on the wheel, and an actuator is provided for imparting a step-by-step movement to the rotatable member to alternately close and open the circuit, a fixed contact being provided for alternately engaging the insulating and contact portion on the ratchet member.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of device constructed according to and embodying my said invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a section thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective looking at the device on the same side as shown in Fig. 1, the device being shown complete except for the casing;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the moving members of the device, parts beingshown in section;

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectiveviews, respectively, of the casing cover, and of the pawl ring or actuator for the rotatable contact member; and

Figs. '7 and 8 are like views of the faces of the rotatable member.

Body member 10 is composed of a suitable insulating material, eithercut out, stamped, or otherwise formed into the desired shape, and 'is provided with recess 12 centrally disposed in one face thereof. Grooves 14 and 16 are formed in the upper part of the body member at opposite sides thereof, and similar grooves 14a and 16a are formed in the lower portion of said body member 10. A conductingmember 17 is received at the ends thereof into grooves 16, 16a, andis held in placetherein byscrew 20, which screw serves as the connector for the current lead-in wire to contact member 17, andv serves to lock contact 24in position, said contact also being received in the groove 1611 between member 1'7 and the body portion. The contact has an angular end portion 25 extending over shoulder 26 on said body portion 10. The lower portion of the strip 24 is bent inwardly under member 17, as at 28, and bears against the teeth of wheel 30 to make contact therewith, and serves as a pawl to prevent movement of the member 30 in more than one direction.

A conductor 18 is likewise received in the slots or grooves 14, 14a, and is held in place therein by screw 32. which serves as anchorage for the attachment thereto of the other lead-in wire. Strip 18 is provided with a contact 36 projecting inwardly between wheel 30 and the back wall of recess 12. An opening 37 in the contact 36 registers with opening 48 in the body portion 10, said openings receiving one end of pivot pin 40, which also passes through opening 42 in the wheel 30. The opposite end of pin 40 is received in member 88, hereinafterto be described.

Wheel 30 is provided with an even number of circumferential teeth 50. A current conducting ring 52 is attached to the fiat rear side of said wheel. Ring 52 is provided with an odd number of wing-like contact portions over the circumferential faces of alternate teeth 50 on said wheel, to provide contact surfaces thereon.

The'upper side of wheel 30 is also provided with ratchet teeth, 54, disposed about a recess 55 in the wheel 30. The teeth 54 correspond in conductors.

number with and constitute right angular extensions of the peripheral or circumferential teeth, 50. An actuator 60 is rotatably received within the recess 55, and is provided with an upstanding actuator lug 62 having an angular end portion 64 adapted to ride over teeth 54. An upstanding arm or ear 66 is provided at the opposite side of the actuator 60 for the attachment thereto of actuating means, as hereinafter described. The ring 60 is apertured to receive pin 40.

The front of the body portion 10 is closed by an insulating plate 86. This plate is retained in position by a locking member 88-having aflange portion 90 fitting against the bottom of the body portion and secured by screws 87." The free end of pin is received within opening 94 in member 88, as a bearing therefor.-

A metallic bushing 80 is secured in anopening in the flange portion 90 of locking member 88. An internal shoulder or abutment 82 is provided in bushing 80. A tubular member .74 isreceived into the outer end of the bushing 80, the member 74 having a rounded end to allow universal. movement. The member 74, through an opening in the-shoulder 82, is connected by a linkage system to the ear 66 of ring 60. This system comprises U-shaped link 70, 'havinga-pivotal connection-at the crotch thereof .With a member '72 slidably retained within the member '74. The ends of link '70 are perforated as indicated at. 71 toreceive the angular end portion '76 of link 68 pivotally connected to actuator arm 66. A'coil spring '78 is'received into the. cylindrical casing F 80 above shoulder 82. A floating abutment 84 is disposed over the top of the spring, and. is provided with an opening receiving the link and retained thereon by portion .76. Theotherend of the link 68 is perforated at 69 and fits over the upstanding ear 66 of ring 60.

A one-piece cover. of insulating material 100 fits over the upper portion of the .body to enclose the This cover is secured at the upper portion of the body portion by means .of .screw. 102.

v The cover merges with and conform'sin outline with the lowerportionsof the body portion, as indicated at 105. As stated, cover 100 is oflunia tary character, and all the working parts of the device are contained therein, and when assembled for use, the device is about one-half, inch in thickness. 7

Recesses 104 are provided in the sides of .cover 100 at the line of juncture with the body .portion to allow the lead-in wires topass thereinto.

The operation of the device is as follows: .AS'? suming the parts to be in the closed circuit position shown at Fig. 4, actuation of the socket '74 through the links 68 and. '70 rotates the actuator 60, compressing spring 78. This causes pawl 64 to move clockwise against the riser portion of one of the ratchet teeth- 54, causing the Wheel to rotate. Contact 108 is thus moved out of contact with spring contact 24 which now engages the insulating portion 110. The circuit is then broken. Upon release of the socket 74, spring '78 returns the actuating linkage to original normal position, the pawl 64 moving in a reverse direction over the step portion of the tooth 54, dropping down into the next tooth against the riser portion thereof. Return rotation of the Wheel with the actuator 60 is prevented by the contact '24 which serves as a pawl.

As pawl 64 moves counterclockwisely up the inclined tooth portion 54, actuator 60 *is allowed to yield against the tension of spring 56' disposed within recess about pin 40. Spring 56 is confined within said recess by member 88 and is of considerably less tension than spring '78, so that the counterclockwise movement of pawl 64 is not retarded. As lug 64 drops onto the step portion of the next tooth 54, actuator 60 is seated by spring 56, and lug 64 is held in place on the step portion.

Asthe pivots of the links '70 and 68 approach alignment and the spring '78 becomes compressed to substantially a maximum, the contact 24 snaps onto the next tooth, thus preventing movement of the rotatable member through more than one position at a time.

The actuation of the ratchet wheel 30 is effectedin aplane parallel to the face of the wheel,

the actuator 60 being preferably located in a recess in the wheel to minimize space. The periphery of the wheel-is utilized only for contact which servesas a .pawl.

I claim:

1. A deviceof the character described comprising-(a rotatable member of insulating material having a centrally located recess therein, integrally formed teeth on the periphery and one face of said rotatable member, ametallic conducting member secured to the other face thereof and having portions extending over alternate peripheral teeth, contacts adapted to engage said peripheral portions and face portions of said conducting member, and means received within said recess coacting with the teeth on the face of said rotatable. member for imparting step-by-step rotation thereto.

2. A deviceof the character describedcomprisinga rotatable member having ratchet teeth on one face thereof, anda central recess, and a mem ber rotatably disposed within said recess and having means adapted to engage said teeth for imparting. a step-by-step movement to said first named member.

3. A device of the character described comprising :a rotatable member having ratchet teeth on one face thereof and a recess centrally in said face, and an actuating member disposed within said. recess and having a lug extending from said recess outwardly into operative relation to said teeth, said member having an actuating arm extending from said recess.

4. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable member having ratchet teeth on one face thereof and a recess centrally within said face, rotatable actuating member disposed within said recess, and having a lug extending therefrom into operative relation to said teeth,

and a spring retaining said actuating member in said recess and adapted to yield to allow return movement of said actuating member over said teeth.

5. A device of the character described comprising spaced wall portions, a rotatable member of insulating material between said wall portions having integrally formed ratchet teeth on the peripheryand one face thereof, said member having a central recess in said face, a conducting member secured to the opposite face of said rotatable member and having portions forming contacts on alternate peripheral teeth, a contact engaging said peripheral teeth and serving as a detent for preventing movement of said rotatable member in one direction, a contact engaging the face'portion of said conducting member, an actuating member in said recess and having a lug in operative relation to the face teeth and an arm for rotating the actuating member, and a spring the lead-in wires, said conducting members being secured within said grooves, circuit controlling means within said central recess, and a casing receiving the upper part of said body portion, closing the front and back of the device and merging laterally with the lower parts of said body portion to form therewith the enclosure for the device.

MAX SOLLAR. 

